WS - Workmen's Sleeper Cars

The WS class evolved from a collection of old carriages and vans
in railway service. At 1886 there was a list of carraiges and their
use as works sleepers. These carriages were later absorbed into the
"WS" number group. It is difficult to determine when the class
letters were first used, the data suggests 1887.

These works sleepers were used throughout the state system. They
were accommodation for supervisory and repair staff who were required
to travel. These people included telegraph fitters, foreman, bridge
repairers, track staff, signal fitters.

Conversions of redundant stock progressed through the 1890's until
April 1910. No doubt this stock was released by bogie the
introduction of bogie carriages. This caused a cascading effect which
left the oldest stock built up to the 1880's for railway use.

By April 1910, the WS fleet numbered 1 - 120. In the 1910
recoding, the WS class letters became simply _W__.
The vehicles were re-numbered in the process which makes research
from the Diagram Books difficult. Construction and conversion into
this group continued after April 1910 as the 'W' class and in that
number group.